


Subtext

by k_no_b



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Mild Language, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 12:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21208634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_no_b/pseuds/k_no_b
Summary: Fame brings with it its own devils.





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> I first wrote this in 2014. Recently, I was going back through some of my old fic and decided to finish this one, which I've left incomplete since 2015. It's a story that moves pretty fast, so no slow-burns here, friends.

_ **Part I** _

"Why did you do that, Kazuki?! You could have gotten arrested!"

"Kazuki" looks at her from the couch, and Tenten can tell that he is already over this scene. Still, he flawlessly delivers his line, pouring on the right amount of angst, "They wouldn't have arrested me—because I'm one of them."

"Cut!" calls the director.

Tenten watches her costar roll his eyes and get to his feet. She clenches her jaw in irritation. The director reviews the scene and approves it as his assistant signals for the next scene; a group of Tenten's costars amble over to the stage.

Tenten walks offstage and begins to head towards her dressing room. As usual, Neji lags behind, taking his time. She turns to him when she reaches the hallway, unable to keep her agitation to herself any longer. "You could have at least _tried_ to act like you care," she snipes, eyes narrowing.

Neji looks at her and raises his eyebrows but says nothing. **He's nothing if not consistent**, Tenten thinks furiously. She watches as a small smirk settles at the corner of his mouth.

He stops and crosses his arms, appraising her. Tenten mirrors him, her foot tapping impatiently on the carpet. "Who says I don't care?" Neji asks. The angst from his voice gone, replaced by his characteristically soft and deep pitch.

Tenten glares at him and gestures wildly back to the stage down the hallway. "You totally blew off that last scene," she accuses.

Neji's smirk deepens, and he leans against the wall, considering her patiently. "I thought I delivered it the way it was written. No one had any complaints. Except for you, of course."

Tenten rolls her eyes and says offhandedly, "Well, my opinion should matter, since I deal with you the most."

Neji shakes his head at her, his mockery in such firm place that Tenten wants to smack it off his mouth. "This isn't about me," he says after a pause.

Tenten lifts an eyebrow in challenge. "Oh? Well then, enlighten me, what is it about, Hyuga?"

"This is about the writers giving you an eating disorder for the rest of the season."

Tenten clenches her fists, and she goes from lightly exasperated to livid in a space of two seconds. Without another word, she spins on her heel and storms away. She's still able to make out Neji's soft chuckle as she rounds the corner.

* * *

Tenten got hired for _High School Crisis_ when she was twenty. She'd been a bright-eyed entertainer at that time, with several commercials and a made-for-television movie under her belt. A television teen drama series was her natural next step. But that had been three years ago.

Her character on the show was a classic good girl—good grades, modest clothes in a variety of pastels, a kind disposition. But none of that had been enough to resist "bad boy" Kazuki, AKA her costar, Neji Hyuga.

On television, Kazuki had experienced a myriad of high highs (his main source of income being from dealing drugs) and low lows (depression, overdosing, violence, etc., etc.). However, since beginning to date her character "Yori" at the end of the show's first season, he'd cleaned up and gone to rehab. Apparently, he was now working with the cops to bust up his previous drug ring—the writers were expecting it to be one of the biggest split-season shockers.

But Tenten had a bigger problem than Kazuki and Yori's season three storyline.

She stares at her reflection as she puts up her hair, still reeling from Neji's comment. Her character's predicament was no secret anymore—the writers had teased the remainder of season three's storyline just the other day. And what was going to happen to Yori? An eating disorder.

Tenten was angry enough to quit, but her contract wasn't up for renewal until the end of this season's shooting, in September. She broods, cursing Neji for bringing it up.

Though she and Neji's on-screen relationship was without a doubt one of the most dynamic on the show, their off-screen partnership looked a lot different.

Neji Hyuga was easily one of the most popular actors of his age range. Getting his start after being scouted at a school program when he was a child, he had only continued to grow in success (and good looks). His face was everywhere—magazine stands, billboards, and across television and movie screens alike.

But while Neji received the country's praise, Tenten seemed to be perpetually stuck in a supporting role. Not only did Neji rate higher on all the fan sites affiliated with the show, Tenten barely ranked at all amongst likability as an actress. She'd been desperate for the last six months, wanting to break into bigger roles, but each audition she went to ended with her being passed over for a more well-known actress. It was driving her crazy.

And now she was going to be forced to portray a glamorized version of a very serious disorder; it made her sick to her stomach. Tenten grits her teeth in frustration.

The thing that bothered her the most was that according to the rumor mill, Neji didn't even want to be an actor; he was just naturally good at it. While Tenten was unopposed to natural talent, she despised larger than life ego, which Neji had plenty of.

**He doesn't even care about this show**, Tenten thinks bitterly as she charges out of her room, freshly changed into her street clothes. As she heads to the parking lot, she fixates with increasing irritability from their earlier exchange. **He could quit today, crush the whole country, and he would be completely fine with it.**

By chance, she spots him on the way to the car idling for her. His hand is up, shielding his eyes from the sun. He turns and sees her, a phone clamped to his ear. Tenten pointedly ignores him.

As her car pulls away, she notices he's still watching. In a fit of anger, Tenten sticks her hand out the window and flips him off. With a self-satisfied smirk, she leans back into the seat, watching the glass glide up to divide them.

* * *

She doesn't see him again until the end of the week, at a studio party. He looks nice, dressed in a simple, low-key suit. Tenten absently smooths a hand over her dress—a cream chiffon skirt that's cropped at her knees. It's not her style, but like everyone else in the room, she has an image to maintain.

He catches her eye from across the room, but Tenten pretends not to notice him, going over to greet one of the studio makeup artists. A moment later, there is a tap on her shoulder, and a voice in her ear says, "I need to speak with you."

Tenten turns to stare at Neji in disbelief. He is already retreating, leading the way to the stairwell. She hesitates for a moment before following, her curiosity getting the better of her. When Tenten reaches the stairs, she sees Neji already halfway to the rooftop. "Come on," he calls down.

Compelled, Tenten obliges. He waits for her at the top, holding the roof door open for her to exit. It's a mild spring night, if not a little breezy. Tenten crosses her arms. "What do you want, Hyuga?"

Neji steps to the edge of the roof, scanning the street below. "I pulled some strings."

Tenten shakes her head, bemused. "Pulled some strings for what?"

"For whom," Neji corrects, glancing at her. "For you."

Tenten's forehead wrinkles. "What are you talking about?"

Neji steps back from the edge and faces her. "The writers will rewrite the part about giving Yori an eating disorder," he says.

Tenten lifts an eyebrow in confusion. "What makes you think they'll do that?"

"Because I asked them to," Neji answers simply, with a small shrug of his shoulders.

Tenten laughs. "You're not serious."

Neji tilts his head at her in consideration. A smile is itching along his mouth. "Why do you think that?" he asks her, interest in his voice.

"Because! You're just some star of a television show. Who are you to tell the writers what to do?"

"Well," Neji begins, smirking, "considering I've been in the business for so long, and I have such a large fan base, it can be easy to persuade people to my thinking—even writers."

Tenten hugs herself tighter, wondering what the odds are that this is some bizarre joke. But what reason would Neji have to drag her all the way up here if it were a scam—he would have wanted other people to see her embarrassed reaction, right?

"It took some convincing," continues Neji, "but after a lengthy discussion, as well as a few autographs and pictures, they could hardly say no."

"You're serious, aren't you?" says Tenten, disbelieving.

Neji shrugs again and looks out over the city's lit-up skyline. "It would mess with the little character development they've already given Yori. If they wrote that for her, it would blow up in their faces. The ratings would suffer."

Tenten shakes her head slightly in wonder. "Who are you?" she asks.

Neji looks back at her. "What?"

Tenten gestures to him. "This. What is this? You saved my character for me. Why?"

"I already told you. Yori's character development—"

Tenten waves this away in dismissal, staring hard at her costar. "Thank you, Neji. Really. I don't know what I can to do to express how grateful I am."

Neji walks over to her and grasps her hand. He makes eye contact with her as he curls her fingers into a fist. "You could start by keeping your rude gestures to yourself," he whispers, raising an eyebrow. He brushes past her and heads back downstairs to rejoin the party.

Tenten remains rooted to the spot, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

* * *

She decides to bring him coffee, because she quickly realizes that she won't ever be able to repay him for what he's done. But she will be damned if she doesn't try—even with something as small and insignificant as a coffee.

She finds him in his dressing room a week and a half later, preparing for their promotion pictures for the rest of the season. Kazuki's trademark leather jacket hangs off his chair. Neji is still in his street clothes.

"Here," she says, offering the drink to him.

Neji glances between the cup then back to her, before returning to getting ready. "No, thank you."

Tenten stares at him, affronted. "Why not?" she demands.

"I don't drink coffee."

"Oh," Tenten replies, sighing. She sinks into his makeup chair and sips the coffee she had meant for him. "What a shame."

She hears Neji emit a small chuckle from the back of his throat, and it brings a shy smile to her lips. She turns her attention to his dressing table, but it is absent of most of the products that line hers. On his, there is a taped down color-coded schedule and several collegiate-looking textbooks.

Tenten pulls one over to her and examines it. On the inside, Neji's name is inscribed in neat-looking print. She casts a glance at him—he is assessing the outfit they want him to wear for the shoot. "Are you taking college classes?" she asks, incredulous.

Neji's gaze flits to the book in her hands. Sheepishly, he nods.

"How did I not know this? How did you keep this away from the media?"

Neji comes and takes the book from her hands, flipping through the pages absentmindedly. "I have a very good publicist," he responds with a smirk.

"Clearly," Tenten retorts, shaking her head. "You've kept this from everyone. How do you even manage it?"

"Not everyone, just most people." Neji places the book back on the tabletop. "I have a very flexible schedule. I go to class when I have to, but otherwise I do the work and turn it in online."

"What are you studying?"

"Physics."

Tenten stares at him. "You're kidding."

Neji shakes his head. Her brow furrows. "Why are you studying science? Shouldn't you be studying theatre? Or literature?"

Neji shrugs and goes back to the outfit on the hanger. "I like science. Now, you should probably go get ready. We're first in line for couple shots."

Tenten leaves, sipping the coffee meant for Neji in bewilderment.

* * *

_ **\- two weeks later -** _

"Tenten, it's Shizune."

Tenten sinks onto her bed. She's only just gotten home from a full day of auditions. Her bones are filled with exhaustion, her mind muddled with pieces of dialogue and character analysis. "Hi," she tells her publicist. "What's up?"

"Neji Hyuga wants you as his date to some function this weekend."

Tenten stares at the ceiling, her mouth popping open in surprise. "What?"

"I know, weird, huh? He never takes dates to events usually, but I guess he's wanting to put on a good face for the show. He's ending his contract after the season is wrapped, you know."

Tenten sits up. "What? No, I didn't know that! He's _ending_ his contract?"

"Yes, Iruka told me this morning when he called with Neji's request. Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. It's on Saturday, and you're free. Do you want to go?"

Tenten taps her index finger against her phone, trying to figure out her costar's motive. "Yeah, I'll go," she tells Shizune, eyes narrowing.

* * *

The event is a ritzy affair recognizing a director that Tenten has only heard of and never met. Apparently, Neji had worked with him when he was a little younger.

They sit facing each other in the chauffeured car. Tenten analyzes Neji. Unperturbed, he stares back, drinking from a bottled water. It had been everyone's idea that they should arrive together, since Neji had formally asked Tenten be his date. Tenten still hadn't decided if this was a press stunt they weren't telling her about.

"Why are you staring?" Neji asks, tilting his head at her.

Tenten decides that she likes this gesture of his—it makes her think that he's inclining his ear to catch her every word. "I'm trying to figure out why you put me in this situation with you."

Neji's expression remains flat. "Let me know when you come to a conclusion," he says, looking out the window of the car.

"You could tell me," Tenten replies, pushing her bangs to the side. Her hands come away sticky with hairspray.

"Ah, but you didn't ask," Neji responds, raising an eyebrow at her.

Tenten sighs. "Why did you ask me?"

"I can't take my onscreen love interest out on a date without a reason? What is this world coming to?" Neji says, his tone ten layers of sarcasm. He sobers and gives her a more straightforward answer, "Good publicity."

Tenten rolls her eyes and leans back into the plush leather of the seat. "I knew it." She eyes him coldly. "Shizune told me you're bailing."

"Bailing is a bad choice of words. I'm making a creative decision."

"You're abandoning me," Tenten goes on, pressing her fingers to her forehead. She's getting a headache.

Neji gazes at her. "I'm not abandoning you. Your contract is up the same time mine is. Quit."

"I can't just quit. I don't have your kind of leverage." **Or experience**, she thinks to herself.

Neji taps his finger against the armrest, lifting an eyebrow. "You have more control over your circumstances than you think."

"Not like you," Tenten says bitterly, crossing her arms.

Neji shakes his head. "That's not true. You're a good actress, which is why the studio wants to keep you. But it's up to you if you let them."

Tenten looks at him, mystified. "What do you—?"

"We're here," interrupts Neji.

And so they are. Tenten is blinded by the camera flashes and she hasn't even left the car yet.

"Come here," Neji says. Tenten scoots beside him, and Neji gives her a measured once-over before opening the door.

* * *

When they arrive inside, Tenten is still reeling from the paparazzi. The press had had a fit with she and Neji showing up together; it is their first public outing that is not associated with the show or the studio. "We're going to be all over the Internet in a matter of seconds," she comments as Neji escorts her to their table.

He doesn't answer, pulling out her chair for her and taking the seat to her right. He greets the other invitees at their table and makes introductions. The wife of a well-known writer strikes up a conversation with them and keeps Tenten talking until the lights dim. A short introduction is given, then a brief short film is shown, documenting the honorary director and his films. Waiters coast by, bringing dinner to each table as music plays and a throng of industry people laud the director.

When dessert is being passed around, Neji rises from his chair. Tenten shoots him a look. "Where are you going?"

Neji raises an eyebrow and gestures to the stage. "I'm up."

Tenten gapes at him, and Neji walks away, imparting a sly grin as he turns his back to her.

True enough, when the lights go down again, Neji is standing onstage holding a microphone. "Good evening, everyone. I'm Neji Hyuga, and I had the great privilege of working with Mizuki several years ago on a film called _The King's Brother_, which won many accolades and awards. During the filming, this revered director treated me with such kindness and favor. He taught me so much about film and acting and communication. Our friendship has continued over the years, and I am honored I can call him a dear friend of mine. Thank you, sempai, for everything." Neji bows deeply to the director, who comes up on stage, and hugs him.

Tenten is absolutely confounded.

* * *

Later, as they're getting into the car, the cameras flashing in their face, Tenten asks, "Who are you?"

Neji shuts the door behind them, looking at her quizzically. "What are you talking about?"

Tenten gestures to the building as the car pulls away. "_That_?"

Neji attempts to hide his obvious satisfaction. "What?"

Tenten shakes her head, leaning back in her seat.

"Mizuki is a good friend of mine," Neji says simply. "I was asked to pay tribute, so I did."

Tenten stares at him. "You're a lot different than what I thought."

"Have I risen or fallen in your esteem?" Tenten tries to hide a smile, and Neji smirks, taking that as her answer. "People see what they want to see, Tenten," he says, sighing.

"Tell me, then. Who's the real Neji Hyuga?"

In the dim lighting of the car, Neji considers her, tapping a finger against his knee in thought. "Honestly?"

Tenten nods, watching him carefully.

They pass a streetlight outside, and for a second it illuminates Neji. His features are pensive, an eyebrow raised, his gaze trained on the street outside. "Most people don't know him," he says softly. "The real Neji Hyuga doesn't get to do half the things he wants because it doesn't fit the image that the public has constructed for him." Neji looks back to her, frowning.

"You didn't answer my question."

Neji almost smiles. "I'm fairly good at evading questions I'm not sure I want to answer."

Tenten sighs in frustration.

"What about you? Who are you really?" Neji poses to her, his gaze intent.

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Just someone trying to play the game."

"In my experience, playing the game never gets you anywhere you really want to be."

"But we're different, Neji. You're already a star. It's not the same for me. I've had to work three times as hard as you to get where I am today."

"I don't disagree with you."

Tenten glares at him. "You're so—I don't know—the person sitting in front of me is not the same one I see on set. I've worked with you for three years, and the extent of our personal conversations have all occurred in the last few weeks. Not only do I not know anything about you, neither does anybody else. How sad is that?"

"I wouldn't put all the blame on your shoulders," Neji murmurs. "I don't like to put myself in a position of having to get personal."

"What are you talking about? You do personal interviews all the time." She pauses. "Are you afraid that people won't like you for who you actually are?"

"I don't care about what people think of me. What I do care about is boundaries."

"Boundaries," Tenten muses, studying him.

Neji tilts his head, staring back at her. Tenten watches him calculate. After a moment, he leans forward, and Tenten can see him clearly in the dim light of the car. "Fame is like trying to control a fire. If you set it within certain limits and watch it carefully, then there's little chance it will get out of control. But if you're not careful, it'll easily burn down everything in its path. The more people you let into your life, the harder it gets to control who knows what. I like to keep my circle small."

"And that's why you've been antisocial for three years?"

"I'm not antisocial."

"Neji," Tenten says in exasperation, "you don't talk to anyone. You don't hang out on set. You ignore every cast invite to anything, unless it's mandatory by the studio. You keep everyone at a distance, including me."

"Tenten, you've made it very clear over the years what you think of me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Neji sits back, and his face is cast again into darkness. "You think I'm an over-privileged and spoiled child star who's never done an honest day's work," Neji states.

Tenten's forehead wrinkles in confusion. "No, I don't," she protests.

She hears him laugh a little. "Are you certain? The only times you ever talk to me is when you're upset with me for not saying a line the way you think it should be delivered, or when we're at press events and it's required. Your dislike is apparent."

"I don't. . . I wouldn't say _dislike_," Tenten mutters, fiddling with her dress.

She can feel Neji's smile, rather than see it. "I'm not as bad as you think," Neji responds after a moment. "I think you've misinterpreted me."

Tenten is silent for the rest of the ride home. When the car stops, Neji opens the door and gets out to walk her into the lobby of her apartment building. Tenten pauses, not wanting to go up yet. They consider each other quietly.

"It's not polite to stare," Neji informs her softly.

Tenten glares at him. "Then stop staring," she retorts.

Neji sighs, and glances around the lobby. Tenten watches his face, wondering why she feels nervous. "Thank you," she says.

Neji looks back at her, his brow furrowed.

"For tonight. And for speaking to the writers. Thank you," she clarifies.

He turns away with a nod, and Tenten goes inside. Before she reaches her door, her phone buzzes with a text. It's from Neji:_ Don't go on the Internet—save yourself the trouble._

Though this tempts her to look, Tenten decides to heed Neji's warning. She enters her empty apartment and locks the door, wandering into her living room. Her phone buzzes again.

_Also, you looked lovely tonight._

Tenten feels a blush dust her cheeks.

* * *

_ **DATING RUMORS SWIRL AS NEJI & COSTAR SEEN TOGETHER ATTENDING EVENT** _

* * *

The next time Tenten walks out her building, she's swamped by paparazzi asking if she's in a relationship with Neji Hyuga. Tenten says nothing and calls Shizune when she gets in the car. Before she can say a word, her publicist says, "I know; I'm already handling it."

She frowns at the men with cameras crowding her car. "They're all around my building, Shizune."

"I know, Tenten. I'm taking care of it."

Tenten sighs and runs her fingers through her bangs, already tired. Her plan for the day is to attend some auditions, though she feels off from the paparazzi attention. Later that afternoon, she is waiting to be called in when her phone buzzes with another text from Neji. She hadn't responded to his text from the other night, unsure of what to say.

_Are you getting hounded too?_

Tenten smiles.** Yes, as soon as I walked out of my building. You?**

_I was at an interview and they ambushed me. How are you doing?_

**Fine. It's annoying, that's all.**

He texts back, _I guess it is my fault. Sorry._

Tenten pauses, hearing her name called. She goes in for her audition, doing her best to deliver the lines faithfully, despite her disgruntlement over the paparazzi and the growing news story. When she exits, another text from Neji is waiting for her.

_How can I make it up to you?_

Tenten bites her lip, thinking. **That's okay—you don't have to. It is what it is.**

_Do you regret being my date the other night?_

**Even if I did, I'd never say so.**

On the way to her next audition, he responds, _There's no need to be coy, Tenten. _Tenten presses a hand to her mouth to hide her smile.

* * *

A few days pass before she finally gives in to the temptation to talk to him again. **What are you doing?**

_I'm in class. You?_

**Reading scripts. How do you go to class? Wouldn't all the students take pictures of you?**

_I don't meet with other students. I have private lessons with my professors. Saves me time and a headache. And pictures._

**Special treatment, much?**

_The perks of celebrity._

Tenten bites her lip, unsure of how to keep the conversation going. Mildly disappointed, she sets her phone down and returns to reading.

A half hour later, he texts again: _Do you want to get lunch?_

Tenten immediately responds, **Yes.**

* * *

She meets Neji at an inconspicuous restaurant near the outskirts of the city, close to his university, far away from the prying eyes of paparazzi. It is after lunch hour, and the restaurant is hardly crowded, though it looks like it sees little business regardless.

They order and Neji asks, watching the waiter leave, "Why haven't you thought about going to school?"

Tenten swirls her straw in her water, shrugging. "Who has the time? I have a weird schedule."

Neji gestures to himself. "Didn't stop me."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Well, it would appear that you can do anything."

Neji dismisses this with a wave of his hand. "What's the real reason?" he presses.

Tenten hums, thinking. "I just—school's not for me, you know? I don't want to do anything other than acting, and you only get better at that by experience. I've never had a need for a degree." She runs her fingertips across her glass, hoping he didn't think she was stupid.

"I understand," Neji says, inclining his head to her. "Many people don't go, in our line of work. My parents never went."

Tenten cocks her head at him, curious. "Your parents have passed on, right?" she inquires softly.

Neji nods, noting the interest on her face. "I've lived with my uncle and his family since they passed away. They're all educated. My uncle made it clear early on that he expected the same from me."

"Even with all your success? You've done so much already, though."

Neji's mouth is tight. "Not enough, I'm afraid." He lifts his eyebrows. "But it doesn't matter. I like going to university, so it's all worked out."

She shakes her head at him. "Seems like you have everything figured out, Neji Hyuga."

Neji smirks. "That's what I want you to think."

* * *

It is easy, after that. Following lunch, Neji leads her on a discreet tour of his nearby school, though they spend an inordinate amount of time dodging second glances from curious students.

By mid-afternoon, Tenten drags Neji to a bookstore, where she drinks coffee as she watches him peruse the shelves. Upon leaving the bookstore, they take a leisurely walk back to campus through a secluded park. They talk about nothing and everything—from growing up in the spotlight to five-year plans to if they prefer spicy food to sweet.

This carries them effortlessly to dinner at another remote restaurant, where they discuss the varying pros and cons of working on a serial television show. They spend the car ride back to her building in heated discussion over comparing their favorite films. There are still paparazzi lingering outside Tenten's building, so Neji escorts her to the back entrance, deciding to walk her to her door to make sure she arrives without being harassed.

Their pace is slow as they reach her front door. Exhaling, Neji leans against the wall. Tenten fiddles with her keys, hesitating to say goodbye. "Thanks, for today," she says, glancing up at him.

"You don't have to thank me," he replies. "I enjoyed spending time with you."

Tenten purses her lips. "Are you sure? It only took us three years to do this. What stopped us from doing it before?"

Neji shifts, his eyes leaving her to glance around the hallway. "You keep saying that we've known each other for three years, which is true. But neither of us has been very . . . intent on communicating. I've been standoffish, and not good to work with." His focus finds his way back to her. "I'm regretting that now."

Tenten moves a little closer to him. "Why is that?"

Neji stares at her guardedly, no trace of a smirk to be seen. "Isn't it obvious?" he asks.

Tenten is silent, heart thudding in her chest.

"I want to kiss you," Neji says, waiting.

"Okay," Tenten says, her fingers twitching.

A corner of his mouth lifts, a fleeting look of embarrassment crossing his face. "May I?"

Tenten feels herself nod. Neji's hand gently comes to rest on her neck, moving up to grasp her chin. He places his lips against hers, and Tenten rests her hands on his chest.

She's kissed him multiple times before, of course. Playing a television couple meant that romantic showmanship was something they'd had to do early on in working with each other. But they had never kissed like this before.

As Kazuki, Neji had always been the one to initiate first. Kazuki kissed aggressively, with his hands gripping her clothes, his tongue pushing into her mouth. _Passionately, possessively_, is what the script always instructed. For her part, Yori was tame and innocent—all pecks on the cheek and hands on the shoulders and soft giggles.

But this kiss is so different from all the ones they have shared onscreen. Neji kisses her slowly, savoring the way her lower lip shifts between his lips, moving with care and purpose. His thumb rests on the pulse point of her neck, measuring how fast her heart is beating. Tenten presses closer to him, nipping him lightly with her teeth. For a brief second, she slides her tongue into his mouth before Neji gently pulls away.

Tenten looks down at the floor, instantly self-conscious. His hand is cradling the nape of her neck, and she can only hear their breathing until Neji releases a soft laugh. She chances a glance at him. His expression is surprised but not disappointed. He says, flushed, "There's this physics principle that an electric current produces a magnetic field. That's what this feels like to me—magnetic."

Tenten looks at him, trying not to laugh. "That's the nerdiest thing I've ever heard."

Neji considers this for a second, before kissing her again, murmuring, "Well, I never claimed to be romantic."

He leans his head against hers, eyes closed. Tenten watches him, absently biting her bottom lip. She wants to kiss him again.

After a moment, Neji cracks an eye open, inscrutable. "Thank you," he says. He straightens, his hand slipping away from her neck to fall at his side. Tenten suppresses a shiver. His mouth lifts into a half smile. "Think the paparazzi are still out front?"

"I would go out the back, just to be safe."

Neji nods and waves goodbye, heading down the hallway. Tenten's eyes stay on him until the elevator doors close.

She enters her apartment, head buzzing. She showers and watches a little bit of television, but when her face appears on the small screen, she turns it off. As she settles into bed, she finally gives into the thoughts racing through her brain and texts him.

**This is serious, isn't it?**

Before she falls asleep, he responds, though Tenten doesn't really require an answer. She already knows.

_Yes, it is._


	2. Part II

_ **Part II** _

They hide it for a couple of months, but when Neji and Tenten inevitably miss a studio event they're expected to attend, their publicists intercede.

Tenten has always hated these offices. They are too dark and modern for her tastes. She stares at the black carpet, thinking that it would not be comfortable if she were barefoot.

Neji sits next to her, across from their handlers, but he's not paying attention either. Inconspicuously, Tenten snakes a finger through his belt loop. Her fingertips brush his skin. Neji blinks and she can detect a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. He grasps her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"The media is asking for a confirmation or denial," Shizune begins, glancing up at them briefly before returning to her phone. "You're both lucky this hasn't blown up in all of our faces."

Neji rolls his eyes. "We don't _have_ to confirm anything," he says thinly.

Shizune looks to Tenten, lips pursed. "Tenten?"

Tenten sighs, staring at Shizune. "How much will it bite me in the ass if we don't do anything?" she asks her publicist.

Neji glances at her. "You don't have to give in to them."

"I'm not giving in," Tenten replies, turning her head to him. "I'm trying to figure out how much non-action will damage my career."

"It won't," Neji says, brow furrowing.

Iruka, Neji's publicist, speaks up, voicing Tenten and Shizune's concern aloud, "Neji, Tenten is nowhere near your level of notoriety. Staying quiet could cost her."

Neji turns to Iruka. "How?"

"The media wants honesty. If Tenten chooses to stay silent, they could spin your relationship in whatever light it wants—and it will paint Tenten in an unflattering light."

Tenten catches Neji's eye. "I'm an almost nobody, compared to you. Can you imagine the backlash? They'll delve into everything, wondering why we're hiding."

"I hide everything about my life from the press, and they've never cared before," Neji answers.

"But that's you, Neji," Iruka says. "You've been in the public eye since you were young; you've grown up in the media spotlight, and you're fairly popular. Tenten doesn't have near enough the social capital to compete with that."

"We could lie," Neji says sardonically, frowning.

Tenten's lips pull into a smile.

Shizune says, "It doesn't have to be overly descriptive. We confirm the dating rumors and say you're very happy together. How does that sound?"

Neji looks at Tenten, studying her closely. She stares back, biting the inside of her cheek. "It's up to you," he says. "I'll be content with your decision, whatever it is."

Tenten sighs and reaches out to squeeze Neji's hand. "Fine," she tells Shizune and Iruka. "Confirm it. And remind them that we like our privacy." Tenten pulls Neji to his feet, ready to leave.

"One other thing, Tenten," Iruka says, fixing she and Neji with a stern look. "I'm sure you're already aware of this, but Neji's fans can be a little . . . possessive. They view him as a public figure that belongs to the media."

Neji rolls his eyes, opening his mouth to interrupt. Iruka stops him with a raised hand. "She needs to be aware of the response this is going to get, Neji." Iruka looks back to Tenten, his expression softening. "He's grown up in front of their eyes, and he's the most popular actor of his age group. His fans expect him to be upfront about everything. I think it is in your best interest to hire a bodyguard to be with you at all times."

Shizune holds out a single sheet of paper with faces and names. Tenten snatches the list from her hand. "You guys are crazy. I don't need a bodyguard."

"Except you do," Shizune replies firmly. "As soon as this news breaks, you're going to be swarmed with cameras all the time, everywhere. You've dealt with paparazzi before, Tenten, but never like this. Even Neji hires private bodyguards from time to time. Let me make this clear: for as long as you're together, people will want to photograph you and be in your personal business. It's not fair, but that's reality."

Tenten scowls, but glances over the list. She taps the picture of the first choice—a lean guy with bushy black eyebrows.

* * *

The next day, Tenten realizes that the news is out when her phone begins to light up with texts, calls, and notifications from news sites. Jerkily, she drinks her coffee as she scrolls through the headlines, eyes narrowed.

_ **JUST IN: NEJI HYUGA DATES COSTAR!** _

_ **NEJI AND TENTEN—SECRET LOVE?!** _

_ **CELEBRITIES SPEND MONTHS WITHHOLDING RELATIONSHIP—WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?** _

The coverage continues to grow as she reads on. Tenten grimaces—comments were already climbing into the hundreds, most of them scathing. She glances at the multiple videos popping up—a few are compilations of pictures of she and Neji together (mostly taken from their television show), but most are feeds from the announcement.

Tenten clicks on one; Shizune begins talking. "Good morning, everyone. We are here to address the rumors concerning our clients, Tenten and Neji Hyuga. There has been speculation as to whether our clients are dating. At this time, we would like to confirm these rumors. Our clients would like to request their privacy be respected, as well as express their gratefulness to the support of their friends, family, and fans. We will take a couple of questions—"

Tenten swipes the video away, feeling uneasy. Her phone buzzes with a text from Neji._ Question._

Tenten replies, **Yeah?**

_Iruka set up a television appearance for me on some talk show in a few days. It can be assumed they'll ask about us, since it's out in the open now._

Tenten's forehead creases. **Are you asking my permission?**

_No, but I don't know exactly what they're going to ask. I didn't know if you would be comfortable with it._

**I think you're more than capable of handling whatever they throw at you.** Her confidence in him is real. Neji had never shown incompetence in the face of the media before.

_Thank you for the vote of confidence. . . Do you want to get dinner tonight?_

Tenten sighs. Before she and Neji had left the meeting with their publicists the previous day, they both had been strictly forbidden from venturing out into public together until the bodyguard was hired. But there were alternatives. . .

**Yes. Come to my apartment.**

* * *

Neji's uncle fixes him with an inexplicable stare. Neji shifts under its weight, waiting for the inevitable. He had hoped, of course, that his family's knowledge of his personal life could be avoided. However, Neji wouldn't be sitting in his uncle's office if that were still true.

His uncle holds up a tabloid, eyes narrowed. "Would you care to explain, Neji?"

Neji studies the picture splashed on the cover. It is a photo that was taken a few weeks back, in poor quality, half of it appears to be obscured by a passing car. Both he and Tenten's backs are facing the camera, and their forms are blurry at best. They are holding hands—however unintelligibly.

He meets his uncle's gaze again, lifting his eyebrows slightly. "You've met Tenten before," Neji reminds casually. "She's been my costar for several years."

"I know who she is. What I fail to understand is why you were in a secret relationship with her."

Neji pointedly glances at the tabloid. Some secret.

"Why did you keep this from us?"

_Ah, yes_, Neji thinks. _'Us'. The family, always a collective._ "Must I have the approval of _the family_ for every person I spend my time with?" says Neji.

Hiashi raises an eyebrow at the apparent challenge but declines to answer. Neji watches his uncle shut the tabloid in a drawer and sink into his desk chair. He says tiredly, "You are no regular celebrity, Neji. You know that."

_Yes, I do._ Neji rubs his finger against his temple, sensing a lecture.

"The Hyuga name is not something that is so easily stained, but our family takes great care to prevent any type of scandal."

"Uncle, this is hardly a scandal."

His uncle's forehead creases. "Your . . . relationship with the girl is not what I'm referring to."

Neji stares at him, suddenly nervous. His uncle reaches into another desk drawer and withdraws a letter that Neji thought he had mailed a week ago.

"I'm sure you know what this is," his uncle says in a whisper.

Neji exhales, attempting to control his temper. He clenches his fists in his lap. "My mail is private," Neji says.

"It is being mailed from my address; I have every right to know what is leaving my home . . . or coming into it."

Neji stiffens, brow furrowing in frustration.

"You're planning on retiring, aren't you?"

Neji remains silent, wondering how effectively he can get out of this conversation. Hiashi looks over Neji's letter again, before removing a heavy manila envelope and handing it to his nephew. "What is this?" Neji asks, suspicious.

"That is the script for the new movie you will begin filming in a few days. I signed the paperwork with Iruka this morning."

Neji grits his teeth. "You must be joking. I haven't heard anything about this."

"It's no joke. I am looking out for your best interests."

Neji shakes his head slowly, rifling through the papers. "This is not what I want. I'm ending my career at the end of this season of _High School Crisis_. That's what I've decided."

"You're young. You have the support and admiration of the whole nation. Why are you so determined to give it up? It could open so many doors for you—"

"This is not what I want, Uncle."

Hiashi's mouth thins. "The girl put you up to this? For media attention?"

Neji clenches his hands, his face flushing. "Tenten is not a press move, she's my girlfriend. Not everyone lives their life calculating their next move for success."

"Neji, you're young and you don't know what you're doing. Filling your time with distractions like the girl and pursuing a master's—it will only detract from achieving bigger success."

"These aren't distractions—this is what I want for my life." Neji gets to his feet, staring down at his uncle. "I'll do the movie, because you've already signed the contract, and I don't go back on my commitments. But you should know, Uncle, that if you seek to derail my wishes again, I will find legal counsel. And for the record, I'll be moving out as soon as I get back from filming." Neji snatches his mail from his uncle's desk and storms out.

* * *

Neji had been to Tenten's apartment numerous times over the past few months that they'd been seeing each other, but he'd never actually been _inside_. Her apartment sat on one of the top floors of a newer building, though it seemed far less obnoxious than other celebrity living spaces that Neji had visited.

He hesitates outside of her door, strangely tense. He'd managed to avoid the cameras around the front of the building by stuffing most of his long hair under his shirt, topping it with a baseball cap for good measure. He'd been successful in duping them—this time. Neji sighs, leaning his head against her front door.

He knows he has to tell her, and it has to be tonight. Iruka had already emailed him his plane ticket. Still, Neji doesn't want to overburden her, not like this, when they were just beginning to see each other. It was painfully unfair to be so heavy so soon.

_The cost of fame_, Neji thinks bitterly.

Feeling anxious, Neji knocks on the door. He hears her feet pad to the door, senses her cautiously looking through the peephole to check his identity. The lock slides back and Tenten stands before him, a small smile on her mouth.

"Nice disguise," she comments as she lets him in.

Neji smirks as he slips off his shoes. "Only the best," he replies.

Tenten half-heartedly gives him a tour of her apartment, but Neji can tell that she's as nervous as he is, probably for very different reasons.

Most of her living space is open, with large windows. There is a spacious kitchen, which Neji doubts she uses much, noting the pizza boxes sitting on the counter.

"I hope this is okay," Tenten says, opening one box.

Neji nods. He can't remember the last time he had pizza—it was never served at his home, and all the media events he attended only had fancy appetizers like quiche or shrimp puffs. Neji pulls a slice out and chews, sighing as he smells the cheese. Tenten smiles at his satisfied expression.

"Um, so, what do you want to do?" Tenten asks. Her fingers fidget with the pizza box.

Neji wonders if it's the location of this date that's making them so edgy, or the mere fact that they are truly alone, with no one to see them or take pictures of them. "When was the last time you watched a movie where you weren't being forced?" Neji asks.

Tenten thinks for a second, her forehead furrowing. Neji suppresses a smile.

"I have no idea," she says, shaking her head in surprise. She looks up at him. "Isn't that crazy? That you forget about normal things like that? That you don't do normal things anymore—like eat pizza and watch movies?"

Neji stares at the pizza box a little sadly. "Come on," he says to her, grasping her hand and picking up the box with his other hand.

He leads her to the living room where her television is. It is then that Tenten points out that her movie selection is very slim, but Neji decides to look anyway. When he holds up a kung-fu movie dated from at least twenty years ago, Tenten blushes like she's embarrassed. "Don't make fun, but that's one of my favorite movies of all time."

Neji's mouth quirks as he pops open the case and inserts it into the DVD player.

"Are you sure?" Tenten asks, skeptical, as he sits down next to her on the couch.

"Completely," he murmurs, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

It takes her a second, but Tenten nestles into the crook of his arm.

* * *

She doesn't realize how tired she is until Neji wakes her up. The television is blue, the movie long over. She rubs her eyes, feeling guilty for falling asleep on him in the middle of their date. "I'm sorry," she yawns.

It is a little hard to see him—the only light in the room is the blue from the television. She had fallen asleep with her head on the couch cushion, her feet in his lap. Tenten sits up, anxious to know what he's thinking.

Neji's hand glides to her neck, and he pulls her close, his mouth grazing hers. Tenten places a hand on his chest, all self-consciousness fleeing from her mind, a brief respite.

"Don't apologize," Neji says against her mouth.

Tenten feels shivers run down her spine. He kisses her again, and Tenten is thankful for the dark, for the silence, for the lack of people. They could never be so forward in public.

"I have something to talk to you about," Neji mutters as they part, carefully avoiding her gaze. He pauses. "I'm leaving for Seoul in a couple of days."

Tenten's focus sharpens. "Why?" she asks, confused. Surely, he had other commitments here that took precedent over leaving the country?

"I've been contracted to a movie role. We begin filming at the end of the week."

Tenten leans back against the couch, processing this information. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because I was not aware that I had the role until this afternoon."

Tenten's forehead wrinkles. "Did Iruka really overlook that?"

"No," Neji sighs, rubbing his eyes. "My uncle signed me to the role without my knowledge."

Tenten waits for a more concise explanation. She knows only a little about Neji's family, other than the rumors that circulate among the cast and crew members on their show. He'd yet to bring them up in their private conversations.

"My uncle is . . . controlling," Neji says. "I'm sure you're aware of how I got introduced into the industry."

"You were discovered at a play in primary school."

Neji inclines his head in assent. "My uncle was made my legal guardian after my parents passed away. The talent agent was persistent; he thought I had legitimate promise. My uncle was sold—I started signing commercials regularly. My acting career took off after that.

"What you have to understand about my family is that they're very prestigious. The Hyuga name carries with it a lot of respect in the older, wealthier circles of corporate Japan. My success in the entertainment industry has brought my family a whole new realm of influence. My uncle is the one who decides what roles I do and when."

Neji glances at Tenten, sliding his hand over to lace their fingers together. "The thing is, all the rumors about me are true. I don't want to be an actor, regardless of how good I am at it. I want to be able to live my life outside the control of my family and the focus of the media. I want my life back. I want to be normal, for once, and make my own decisions. Which is why," Neji squeezes her hand, "after we wrap this season of the show, I'm retiring from acting. For good."

Tenten stares at him, a little stunned. Sure, people had speculated about Neji's supposed "acting breaks", but she'd never believed he would go so far as to retire. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Neji answers, his face certain. "I'm applying to pursue a master's degree at my university."

Tenten tries not to gape. "What? When did you decide this?"

"Several months ago. I was planning on telling you. . . But I didn't know how or when to bring it up." _And I wasn't sure what you would think_, he thinks to himself.

Tenten withdraws her hand from his, crossing her arms as she ruminates. "You're going to retire? Just like that?"

"I know that it will take some transition, but this is something I've wanted for a really long time," Neji tells her carefully. "My dream has never included world recognition and status. I just want to graduate from university without cameras being shoved in my face."

Tenten gets to her feet and goes to look out the window, processing. The city lights gleam below. She glances down to the streets below, and then out to the twinkling, distant lights of the ships in the bay. She feels Neji come to stand behind her.

"I'm sorry that I had to tell you like this," he says softly. "I never meant to drop all of this on you. I wanted to work up to it, but . . . it was out of my hands. And I didn't feel right leaving with you not knowing."

Tenten turns to him, heart pounding. She places her hands on his shoulders and pulls him closer. Neji's hands hesitantly come to rest on her waist. She leans back against the glass. She can see him better now, and his eyes are shocking as ever—steady as they gaze down at her, a lingering sense of frustration in his brow. His face is clear in its desire for her acceptance and approval. Tenten wonders how she learned to read him so quickly, or if he is putting himself on display for her benefit.

"We said this was serious, didn't we?" she asks.

Neji nods silently. Tenten absently presses her lips together in thought. "How did we get to this point?"

Neji exhales and leans into her, his forehead pressing against hers. "Do you really want to know?"

Tenten is itching to kiss him, to set things right with his life. She's surprised by their connection, how strong it is, and how protective she feels over him.** When did this happen?** she asks herself.

"Electromagnetism," Neji tells her quietly, and the words are spoken with such certainty that her skin prickles.

She smiles a little, mocking him. "I'm not a physicist, Neji," she reminds him.

Neji moves his hand from her waist to her hip, his other alighting on her chin to tilt her face up. He kisses her carefully and says, "I guess I'll have to explain it to you, then."

* * *

"Neji, we are so honored to have you on our show!"

Neji smiles briefly, though mentally he is counting down to when he can leave. His time is short; his flight for Seoul departs in a few hours, and he wants to see Tenten again before he leaves, if possible. "Thank you for having me," he says, looking between the two hosts.

It is not intended to be a serious interview, but when Neji arrived, he immediately came to the realization that his relationship with Tenten would be probed during his thirty-minute segment. And a live audience would be present to see it all. _Perfect._

"That episode of _High School Crisis_ was certainly a shock to many fans! Can you tell us what we have to look forward to for the rest of the season?"

Neji gives a well-rehearsed, obligatory answer that the studio would be happy with. Being under contract, he was strictly limited in what information he could give about the show. His hosts attempt to pry a little more out of him, but Neji deflects with his usual amount of charm.

"We also hear that you will be starring in a new movie, which starts shooting this week in Seoul! The director, Kakashi Hatake, stated that it will be a period drama about a gangster and the woman who steals his heart! Your costar will be Sakura Haruno; are you looking forward to working with her?"

Neji has never worked with Sakura before, but he has met her twice before, in passing. She was renowned for her pink hair, a dyed tribute to her stage name. From what he could tell, she was a decent actress with a kind disposition. "I'm pleased to have the privilege of working alongside Sakura for this film. I'm sure that she will be an agreeable partner."

There are dithers from the crowd and the hosts, swooning over his eloquence.

"Speaking of partners, everyone has been shell-shocked with the news that you are officially dating your onscreen love interest from _High School Crisis_, Tenten." A brief clip of the press conference is shown, along with a smattering of poorly taken pictures. "Neji, can you give us the details to how this relationship with Tenten developed? I'm sure all of your fans are very curious to know!"

Neji wonders how to make his answer as vague and unsatisfying as possible. He says, "Tenten and I have known each other ever since the beginning of _High School Crisis_, which began airing three years ago. We've had an . . . interesting companionship."

"'Interesting companionship', you say," muses one of the hosts, leaning forward. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that Tenten is someone I respect very much, and it is an honor to work with her as closely as I do."

The male host pipes up, "You speak of respect, Neji, but where is your romance?"

The audience oohs and calls out for an answer, curiosity stoked. Neji silently curses Iruka for putting him through this. He attempts another dodge, a more apparent one this time. "My fans know that I value my privacy very much, and I feel that my relationships should remain the same way. Tenten and I would be grateful if the media would respect that by giving us our privacy."

The crowd sighs in disappointment. The hosts look visibly put out. Neji keeps a small smile in place, though it's strained.

"I'm sure Tenten will miss you very much while you are filming in Seoul," says the woman host, dabbing at her cheeks for fake tears.

Neji decides to throw them some scraps, just to get them off his back. "If she's not too busy with her schedule, I'm hoping she'll fly out to visit me during filming."

The audience is won back, their coos echoing around the studio. The hosts are appeased. Neji can see their boss nodding approvingly offstage. Neji smiles pleasantly until they break for commercial.

* * *

Neji is taking a small private plane to Seoul. Tenten knows he detests it—he's made his thoughts on celebrity privileges clear. She's waiting for him to arrive from his interview, sitting in her own chauffeured car. The interview is already online, and Tenten has just finished watching it, a small smirk on her mouth.

Neji's black car pulls up and she gets out. He is helping his chauffeur get out his bags to load in the plane when she walks over. His face is guarded, eyes searching hers.

"You really hated that interview, didn't you?" Tenten greets.

Neji rolls his eyes, shutting the car trunk. "They could have used a little more tact."

"You know that that's not what they're there for."

Neji inclines his head to her in agreement. They walk slowly towards the waiting plane. His hand finds hers. "Did you mean it?" she asks him.

"Mean what?"

"That you would want me to come to Seoul."

Neji turns to her as they reach the stairs, trying not to let the expectancy in his eyes show. "If you're not too busy. . . Don't feel like you have to."

"I feel like you'll be the busy one," Tenten says. "Won't you be filming all the time?"

"My nights are free," Neji mutters.

Tenten feels a blush rise on her cheeks. She punches him half-heartedly in the arm. "I'll think about it," she says.

Neji shakes his head and kisses her for a good minute, trying to memorize the feel of her mouth. When he pulls away, Tenten looks smug. "Text me when you get there?"

Neji nods. She stands on her toes and kisses him once more, before pulling away. He leans against the stair railing, watching as she slips back into her car. His heart clenches in a particularly painful way when the car pulls away. And it's then that Neji knows he's a goner.

* * *

Tenten first meets Lee the bodyguard when he almost gives her a heart attack as she exits her apartment for the day. Tenten clutches her chest, leaning back against the door as she catches her breath. She runs a quick eye over him, slightly repulsed by the amount of green he has chosen to wear.

"I am Rock Lee, your hired bodyguard! It will be an honor to protect you!" he bows to her deeply at the waist.

Personally, Tenten is a little alarmed at the volume of this proclamation, a mix between a shout and an unintelligible yell. She squints at him. "Aren't you a little young to be a bodyguard?" she asks.

"I promise you that my age has never prevented me from accomplishing any of my duties! I have been trained extensively in the martial arts, as well as alternative forms of—" He goes on to list several intimidating-sounding forms of exercise that Tenten has never heard of and doesn't necessarily care to witness.

"I'm sure you're . . . adequate in your duties. I was only saying that I didn't expect you to be my age."

Lee grins and bobs his head, causing his bowl-cut to swish. "My youth supplies me with a great sense of agility, Tenten. I promise that I will not fail you or Neji Hyuga."

Tenten treats him to a half-smile, bemused and pleased at the same time.

"Where are we headed today?!" Lee asks.

Tenten shakes her head and leads the way to the elevator.

* * *

She soon comes to realize that Lee never seems to expend his energy. When she's on the phone with Neji later that week, she recounts her days with her new bodyguard.

"He speaks at this volume that's three decibels louder than everyone else. And he got excited by everything or saw it as something to conquer." Tenten cradles her forehead in her hand, exhausted. She pauses, then adds, "He knocked over a huge reflector today at my photoshoot."

Neji softly chuckles on the other side of the line. Tenten can tell by his voice that he's fighting distraction. "How was shooting today?" she asks.

Neji sighs, "Fine . . . tedious. It's just—nothing is coming across the exact way Hatake wants."

Tenten's eyebrows draw together. "What does that mean?"

Neji exhales again, heavier than his last. She imagines him running a hand over his face. "It means that Sakura and I will be spending more time outside of shooting together. To build rapport."

Tenten bites the inside of her cheek, mulling over this news. "Meaning the media will start speculating," she says eventually.

"Yes," Neji agrees. "They'll play this against us—especially after the last few weeks of questioning how long we've really been together."

Tenten rolls her eyes. Recently, fan sites had latched onto a theory that she and Neji had been dating for three years, coinciding with the television show's air date. The theories grew more convoluted daily—from their "secret three year relationship" to the belief that it was all fake, mandated by the studio to ensure good ratings for the end of the third season of _High School Crisis_.

Tenten is silent, thinking about the media and its power over their lives. "Yeah, I know."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course, I trust you," Tenten murmurs, closing her eyes. "I just don't trust _them_."

* * *

The speculation hits over the next few weeks with renewed fervor. Iruka and Shizune had anticipated the backlash, and they had prepared accordingly. "No," they assure on different media outlets, "our clients' relationship is intact and doing just fine, thank you. . . Neji is being seen with Sakura Haruno at the request of their director. . . No, they are not seeing each other. . ." And so on.

The headlines and fan theories begin to weigh heavily on Tenten's mind. She tries to stay away from the comments section of media posts, but her curiosity gets the better of her. She begins to spend more time scrolling through feeds, skimming comments of fans theorizing over she and Neji's relationship, her acting ability, her desire for fame, and of Neji's supposed preference for Sakura, clearly evidenced by all of the photos of them together.

From South Korea, Neji does what he can to reassure her—ironically, he seems to always be on his way to meet up with Sakura. Tenten works a sore into her mouth from biting her cheek so often in irritation.

Finally, unable to settle her unease, she looks ahead to her schedule, clears some space, and buys a plane ticket. On the way to Seoul, Tenten scans her media feeds and locks onto a title: _**WHO DOES NEJI PREFER—SAKURA OR TENTEN?**_

She wants to roll her eyes at such a ridiculous suggestion, but a part of her, however small, wonders. She's seen countless celebrities—both men and women—be scorned by lovers in the limelight. Could she expect to be so different?

She sighs, leaning her head against the window. This was the cruelest thing about the whole business of entertainment—it was a beast that was untamable, only satisfied when it was being fed. If the fuel faltered, it devoured everything in its path.


	3. Part III

_ **Part III** _

"What time did the production office say he would be done?" Tenten asks Lee, checking her watch.

"He should be back any minute now," Lee answers, smiling at her from his post by the door.

Tenten fidgets, strangely anxious. Lee had managed to get them permission onto set and finagled their way onto Neji's set trailer. It was empty for now—Neji and Sakura were wrapping up shooting before dinner.

"You know, I've always admired Sakura," Lee tells Tenten, peering out of the small trailer window.

Tenten raises her eyebrows. "Have you?"

Lee nods, a small blush rising to his cheeks. "She's so pretty," he confesses.

Tenten chuckles. "The likelihood of you meeting her today is pretty high. She and Neji seem to spend a lot of time together."

"Don't say that," Lee says fretfully, his brow furrowing. "It will make me nervous."

Tenten opens her mouth to tease him further, when the door to the trailer opens and Neji steps inside, his face quickly shifting to confusion as he looks around. When he sees her, the tension in his face ebbs, a smile spreading onto his mouth.

"Hi," he says, stepping past Lee to scoop Tenten into his arms. Tenten sighs contentedly as he kisses her, his arms tight around her waist. All the pent-up anxiety from the past few weeks slips from her shoulders as she presses closer to Neji, her fingers winding into his hair.

A wolf whistle from the doorway causes them to part. Neji looks over his shoulder, keeping a hand on Tenten's hip. Sakura Haruno is standing in the doorway to the trailer, her expression mockingly smug. "Wow, Hyuga. No wonder Hatake keeps saying we lack chemistry; you're keeping it all saved for Tenten!"

Neji rolls his eyes, his hand moving to lace fingers with Tenten's. "Tenten, this is Sakura Haruno. I don't think you've met before."

"Only in passing," Sakura answers, stepping forward to embrace Tenten briefly. She is smiling, glancing between them. "You guys are so cute together!"

Tenten flushes. She holds out a hand to Lee. "Since we're making introductions—this is my bodyguard, Lee."

Sakura steps over to shake Lee's hand, asking in a joking tone, "Bodyguard? You let me walk in here without an ID! I could have been anyone!"

Tenten glances at Lee; he is visibly shell-shocked. He stammers, "I knew who you were!"

Sakura tsks, shaking her head. "I could be anyone, Mr. Lee." She turns her eyes back to Neji and Tenten, grinning at their entwined hands. "I guess dinner is off, then," she says to Neji.

"If you don't mind," Neji replies.

Sakura waves her hand dismissively, turning her attention to Lee. "If you're going to be here, I think I'll take Mr. Lee to the catering tent. I'm starving."

"Take him," Tenten says instantly, holding back a laugh at Lee's red face.

"Let's go," Sakura says, leading Lee out of the trailer.

Lee shuts the door, glancing at Tenten in dismay. Tenten snickers and pulls Neji down next to her on the small couch.

"What's funny?" Neji sighs, pressing his mouth to the skin under her ear.

"Lee has a crush on Sakura."

Neji hums at this but doesn't respond, preoccupied with placing his lips against every inch of Tenten's exposed skin. "You should have told me you were coming," Neji murmurs, finding her mouth.

"I wanted to surprise you," Tenten whispers back, feeling a sharp thrill in her gut as Neji pulls her onto his lap.

"You mean, you didn't want the press attention," he says.

"That too." She touches her fingers to the skin underneath his eyes. "You look tired."

Neji sighs again, grasping her fingers and bringing them to his lips. "I am. But I feel better now that you're here."

Tenten smiles and kisses him softly. They kiss for a moment, slowly, savoring the quiet.

"How long are you staying?" Neji asks, his eyes flickering to hers.

Tenten grimaces, brushing his hair back behind his ear. "Let's not talk about that."

Neji frowns, raising his eyebrows for an answer. Tenten exhales and presses her forehead to Neji's, closing her eyes. "Two days," she says.

His arms encircle her waist, sighing. Another moment passes before Neji finally says, "There's two months of filming left, and then I'll be back. Did I tell you—I'm going to move out from my uncle's house when I finish filming. I have people keeping an eye out for a building near my university."

"Good for you," Tenten says, smirking. "It's about time. But what made you decide to do that?"

"He read my mail."

Tenten's smirk deepens at Neji's tone. "How dare he."

Neji touches her chin, tilting her face so he can look in her eyes. He reads them for a moment, then says, "Why don't we move in together, when I get back?"

Tenten feels a surge of excitement through her body. She caresses his cheek thoughtfully. "That's a big step, Neji."

Neji shrugs, watching her carefully. "I don't want to be apart from you more than I have to be."

They consider each other, and Neji finally pulls her close again, gently pressing his lips to hers. "Think about it, okay?" he says against her mouth.

Tenten nods and rests her head on his shoulder, tingling with warmth.

* * *

Sakura returns with Lee a while later to retrieve Neji to resume filming. Neji promises the scenes should be done soon, and kisses Tenten once more before departing the trailer.

Tenten immediately fixates on Lee. "So, how did it go with Sakura?"

Lee's blush renews. "She's wonderful," Lee proclaims, his eyes growing wide. "Did you know she speaks Japanese, Korean, and English fluently?"

Tenten smiles and listens to Lee recount his conversation with Sakura in excruciating detail, extolling her endless virtues.

By the time Neji returns alone, an hour and a half later, Lee is still talking about Sakura and Tenten is half-asleep. Neji ushers them out of the trailer, and they depart the set to Neji's hotel. After a quick discussion with hotel management, Lee escorts Neji and Tenten through a loading dock entrance. He leaves them outside Neji's hotel door, bidding them both a goodnight with severe instructions to wait for him to pick them up the next morning.

* * *

Neji brushes his knuckles against Tenten's cheek, staring up at her in the dark. She smiles and leans down to press a small kiss onto his mouth.

"You know what I admire about you?" Neji begins a moment later. "Everything you do you give one hundred and ten percent. Things come so easily to me, but you have better work ethic—and I think that matters more than natural talent. You're better at all of this than I am."

Tenten smirks and hums, tracing his earlobe. "If that were true, I'd be more famous than you by now."

"Fame isn't everything," Neji sighs, one hand encircling her wrist.

Tenten mulls on this, then says after a pause, "Do you know what I want for you? To finish school and get your master's, and get a normal, boring job that makes you ridiculously happy." She brushes her fingertips against his mouth, memorizing him in this moment.

A soft smile appears on Neji's lips. "And I want people to begin taking you seriously, and for you to get roles that you actually enjoy. But most of all. . ." He reaches up and brings her face down to his, kissing her tenderly, "I want you to be with me."

Half an hour passes in this blissful space before Tenten receives a text from Shizune. Jaw clenched, Tenten informs Neji, "Shizune and Iruka say we should go out to combat all of these rumors that you're cheating on me with Sakura."

Neji sighs, rolling his eyes. He plucks her phone from her hands and casts it onto the floor, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Don't bring them into this," he murmurs.

"You haven't been seeing all of it, have you? It's been incessant," Tenten says.

"I don't follow the media—and neither should you. They never have anything good to say."

Tenten frowns, but lets Neji reach up and grasp her chin, guiding her lips to his. She winds her arms around his neck. She sighs, loving the way his fingertips feel as they slip past her shirt to rest just so on her spine.

"Tell me something," Neji whispers to her after a few moments of lazy kisses. "Where do you see us, in the next year?"

"You mean professionally?" Tenten asks.

Neji shifts to view her fully. He is sleepy-eyed, his guard down. Tenten touches his temple, entranced. She replies a beat later, "Well, we'll finish the show for the season. You'll retire and cause the country to revolt in uproar. They'll probably hound you at school for a while. I'll continue the show, keep taking auditions. . . Maybe we'll be old news by then."

"We'll never be _old_ news. I'll become a boring college student, but you'll still be the country's sweetheart."

Tenten winces at his description. "I don't want to be that forever," she murmurs.

Neji touches the collar of her shirt. "That will be a hard typecast to break."

Tenten sits up, propping her head on her hand. "You still think I should end my contract," she states.

Neji studies her. "I don't want you to be comfortable," he says finally.

Tenten frowns, her eyes wandering to the half-drawn curtains. Seoul glows from the window. "If I make the wrong decision, it could ruin my career," she murmurs.

"It's the same for me," Neji responds. "It took me a long time to decide to retire."

"But we're different, Neji. Do you know how many acting classes I had to take to land the show? Dozens. I may work twice as hard as you do, but I have much farther to fall. Everyone loves you—you could have any role you wanted. It's not the same for me."

Neji moves his fingers to the pulse point in her throat. "I'm not saying it wouldn't be a risk. But it would be the right move, if you want my opinion. Think about it—how far can you go with this role, especially with me leaving? They'll sideline you or try to set you up with a new love interest, most likely someone more compatible to Yori. It'll get boring."

Tenten's frown deepens. Neji continues, pulling her back down into his arms, "I'm not trying to hurt your feelings. I know the way these things work. I want better for you."

Tenten doesn't respond and rests her head against Neji's chest. "Did you see the pictures of you and Sakura at the beach?" Tenten asks after a brief silence. Jealousy flares in her heart as she recalls the images—Neji and Sakura sitting on a beach towel in the sunshine. Sakura had been laughing; Neji smirking, clearly having said something amusing.

Neji sighs and leans down to meet her eyes. "It's you and me. There isn't anyone else."

Tenten shakes her head. "It's me, you, and the whole world, Neji. There's no use pretending it's any different."

* * *

The next evening, when filming ends, Neji decides to follow through with their publicists' requests to be seen in public. They go to a small, out of the way restaurant. It takes only moments after ordering that Tenten can see phones turned their way.

"We'll eat and leave," Neji assures her, face strained as he glances at Lee's figure, standing outside the restaurant's front door.

Tenten nods. They eat their _jajangmyeon_ quickly and speak sparsely, hyper-aware of all the listening ears in the room. They both breathe a sigh of relief when they return to the car.

A couple of hours later, when the pictures finally gain enough attention on the Internet, Shizune sends her comments. Her feet in Neji's lap, Tenten interrupts the movie they're watching to read aloud, "Shizune says everyone thinks we look miserable together. She wants you to kiss me outside the airport tomorrow."

"My affection for you is not a media ploy," Neji responds stonily. "We only look miserable because we're being watched by dozens of people."

Tenten texts Shizune a thumbs-down and puts her phone away, moving to snuggle deeper into Neji's side.

* * *

"Are you sure you can't stay a few more days?"

They are on their way to the airport. Tenten is partially laying down in the backseat, lightheaded. Neji leans over her, his mouth trailing along her throat.

"Can't," she says breathlessly. "I have commitments."

Neji sighs and sits back, pulling her up with him. She sets her head on his shoulder, her arms around him. "It won't be long. Two months," she whispers, her gut clenching with discomfort at the thought. After a moment, she asks, "Do you think we made the right decision? Confirming our relationship to the media?"

"We weren't given much of an option," Neji replies. He finds her hand and squeezes. He turns to glance at her, concerned. "Do you regret it?"

Tenten exhales heavily. "I wish it wasn't so complicated."

"One day it will be different. I promise."

Tenten nods and presses a kiss to his cheek. "I'm counting on that, Neji Hyuga."

* * *

Weeks pass in a blur. Articles emerge, scrutinizing the toll that distance takes on new relationships, and, gosh, don't Neji and Sakura look cozy on and off set? Apart from Neji, Tenten can't help but skim these reports, trying to read through the lines.

"'Sources'," she complains to Neji one evening over the phone. "_What_ sources?"

"Stop reading these stupid articles," Neji advises firmly.

Tenten half-listens, obsessively scrolling through social media outlets. "You would think this dumb studio dating rumor would die after a while," she mutters.

"Tenten," Neji says, his tone sharp.

Lee enters the living room and interrupts, "Tenten, he's back."

There is a pause on the line, and Tenten shoots Lee a glare, shooing him away. Momentarily diverted, Neji asks, "_Who's_ back?"

"It's nothing, Neji," she mutters. "Some guy's started following me around."

"Put Lee on the phone," Neji demands rigidly.

"No," Tenten replies. "It's fine. Lee is taking care of it."

"Put him on the phone," Neji insists.

Tenten sighs and holds out the phone to Lee. He takes it gingerly and listens for a moment, before saying, "I don't think a restraining order will be effective. . . Yes, he knows I'm watching him. . . Yes, I will."

Lee hands her back the phone, giving her a sheepish look.

"Were you planning on telling me you have a stalker?" Neji asks when she returns to the call.

"Not really," Tenten replies. "It's not a big deal. He comes to the building lobby and stands around, wanting to talk to me a few times a week. That's normal compared to other stories I've heard."

"I don't like this. He knows where you live. He could break into your apartment."

"That won't happen, Neji. We've already notified the building manager and the doorman. Besides, Lee is almost always here."

Neji is silent for a long time. "When I return from filming," he says tightly, "we're moving in together."

"We said we would talk about that again when you get back," Tenten protests, looking around her apartment.

"No, let's talk about it right now."

Tenten sighs, running a hand through her hair. "Can't you see how much attention we'll get for that? People will say we're crazy. I'm sure your family will be less than pleased, too."

"I'm not interested in what other people think about it. What do _you_ want?"

Tenten's heart flutters in her chest, thinking about waking up with Neji each morning, watching movies on the couch, eating dinner together. **Normal things**, she thinks longingly. Aloud, she whispers, "Of course I want to move in with you, but it's like I've been telling you—we're public property. We have an image to maintain, for the show, to fans. After the months of coverage we've been getting, do you really think moving in together is going to solve all of our problems?"

"_We_ don't have any problems. And I'm not interested in solving the media's issues with our relationship or playing mind games over something they have no understanding about. I don't care if I make a fool of myself in their eyes."

Tenten snorts. "That must be a nice luxury. We don't have the same perspective, Neji."

Neji falls quiet again. Tenten closes her eyes, her chest clenching at the weight of how much she misses him.

"Just . . . be careful. I'll be back soon, and we can work this out."

Tenten hums an assent, and Neji bids her a soft goodbye.

* * *

_ **WHO ARE YOU MORE LIKE—SAKURA OR TENTEN?** _

"_**It's hard not to pair starlet Sakura Haruno with new film costar, Neji Hyuga. The two are engaging actors, completely committed to their work. . ."**_

_ **SOURCES CONFIRM RUMORS OF FAKE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COSTARS, NEJI AND TENTEN** _

"_**watch—theyll break up just in time for the season finale of hsc. u cant work with someone for 3 years then suddenly be in a relationship. it's all a studio thing"**_

* * *

A week before Neji's expected to wrap filming, he receives a phone call. "Neji? It's Lee."

Neji stills, pressing the phone closer to his ear. "Lee? What's wrong?"

"There was an incident this evening when I was walking Tenten to her door."

Neji puts Lee on speaker, and turns to his phone, immediately typing in a search. "What kind of incident?"

"You'll remember the guy who's been hanging around in the lobby? Well, he contacted some paparazzi, and managed to get them up to Tenten's floor. They were waiting for us when we came out of the elevator."

Neji's eyes scan the pictures, already floating around gossip and tabloid sites. "Is she alright?" he asks, chest tight with concern and anger.

"She's fine, just shaken. It was very unexpected. I've contacted the building manager and Shizune—"

"Put her on the phone, Lee."

Without another word, the phone is handed to Tenten. She sounds faint when she answers.

"I'll talk with the director in the morning and then come to you," Neji says briskly.

"No, don't," Tenten murmurs. "It'll make it into a bigger deal than it is. People will think I'm overreacting."

Neji grits his teeth. "Fuck them," he says shortly. "Who cares what they think?"

"_I_ do," Tenten whispers. "I have to. If I don't react well to this, do you know what all these people will say about me? They'll cast me as some sort of attention-seeker who isn't satisfied with her position. Or someone who's trying to salvage a fake relationship with a guy she doesn't even like because of the studio. We don't work in this time frame, Neji."

"Do you really think that, or has the media coverage gotten to you?" Neji poses flatly. He pinches the bridge of his nose, mind racing for a solution.

Tenten doesn't answer his question. Silence stretches between them. "Are you alright?" Neji finally asks softly.

"Yeah. It was . . . surprising. They were waiting down at the end of the hall, four or five of them. . . You know what's funny? The guy that's been hanging out in the lobby—he was there, just cheering them on. He said that the world deserved to see more pictures of me."

Discomfort churns in Neji's stomach. "Move out. Please."

"I'm not going to let them run me off, Neji."

"Sometimes it's not worth it to keep a brave face," Neji replies. "They'll keep pushing until they break you."

Tenten sounds tired when she answers, "I've run out of options. It's taking everything in me to withstand all of this."

"It won't always be like this," Neji says softly.

"Maybe. But there will always be people watching us because they're obsessed with how our lives play out. We're just characters to them, not real people." Tenten breathes in deeply, tears gathering in her eyes. "I need some space from all of this. To focus on my work."

Neji says nothing for a long time. When he speaks again, his voice is barely above a whisper. "I understand that the media attention has been unfavorable—but it's speculation. Who cares about their perception of us?"

"Neji, this is my career and reputation we're talking about. I'm already being sidelined as some bottom-feeder actress—they're constantly comparing me to you and Sakura. This affects everything for me: getting jobs, public perception. I won't be able to do any of the roles I want because the media won't support the project. I'll end up doing _High School Crisis_ forever and then fade into obscurity. This is how it works."

Neji doesn't reply, searching for an answer.

Tenten leans her head against the back of the couch, clenching and unclenching her fist. "So . . . are we agreed? We'll break up?"

Neji clenches his jaw. "I don't want to do this on the phone."

"Neji, I can't do this in person with you."

He exhales loudly. "You're saying we'll never see each other?"

Tenten sniffs, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "We will. I—give it some time. Maybe things will be different after you retire."

"I don't want to do this, Tenten."

"Me either."

They fall silent, listening to the other's breathing. Tenten swallows past the lump in her throat, stemming the tears that flow from her eyes with her shirt sleeve.

"Do you remember what I said about electromagnetism?" Neji asks.

"Yes."

"I feel it even more strongly right now than I did then. Breaking up won't change how I feel about you."

"Same here," Tenten replies, choking back a sob. She hears him release a heavy breath.

"I keep trying to think of a way out of this, but nothing works out the way I want it to," Neji says.

"We should hang up," Tenten says, pressing her hand to her eyes, "or we'll keep going in circles."

Neji makes a noncommittal sound, and Tenten grips her phone tight, her body seizing at the thought of letting him go. "Goodnight, Neji," she forces herself to say, pushing down the rise of bile in her throat.

Neji takes a moment to respond. His tone is somber when he replies, "Goodnight, Tenten."

Tenten ends the call and finally releases the sob in her chest. It echoes through her silent, dark apartment.


	4. Part IV

_ **Part IV** _

* * *

_ **COSTARS SPLIT—NEJI AND TENTEN ARE DONE** _

_ **SAKURA AND NEJI—JAPAN'S NEXT IT COUPLE?** _

"_**abt time they realized we werent buying it"**_

* * *

Summer drags on at a glacial pace. Lee has the locks changed on Tenten's apartment, and has a harsh word with the building manager, who fires the doorman—the one responsible for admitting the paparazzi. Her stalker from the lobby still hangs around, but following a private word from Lee, he no longer attempts to speak to Tenten as she comes and goes.

Tenten is chosen for a few modeling campaigns while waiting for _High School Crisis_ to resume filming in the fall. Her only contact with Neji is through what she sees on TV and the Internet—he returns from filming and is rarely seen out, other than promotions for his new movie with Sakura. She finds herself picking up her phone at varying times during the day, her mind wandering to him. She always makes herself set it back down.

* * *

Tenten is in the backseat of a car a few weeks before shooting for _HSC_ begins, on her way to an advertising gig, when a familiar number finally lights up on her phone.

"I keep picking up the phone to call you, and then remembering I'm not supposed to," Neji says when she answers.

Tenten bites her lip, her chest aching at the sound of his voice, so close but so far. "Funny. I keep doing the same thing."

Neji pauses for a moment, then says, "I've been thinking you could come and have dinner with me tonight. You might not know this, but I moved out, finally."

Tenten's heart flutters painfully. "Well," she says slowly, fingering the hem of her dress, "I have a date tonight."

There is a pause. Then Neji says, in a reserved tone, "A date?"

"Yeah. With Kiba Inuzuka."

"The model?"

Tenten hums in response, wishing she could see Neji's expression, rather than leaving it to her imagination. The silence stretches between them. Feeling the need to fill it, Tenten launches into she and Kiba's plans, wincing at her forced, cheery tone.

"Please stop," Neji eventually says, terse.

"Sorry," Tenten mumbles. "This is a little weird, isn't it?"

"Extremely."

"It wasn't my idea. Shizune suggested it. To help with my public image . . . so I won't look like it took me by surprise. That it was all casual."

"Right."

Tenten looks out the window, studying the shiny black buildings pass by. Lee looks back at her from the front seat, his forehead furrowing in concern.

"This doesn't change anything for me," Neji finally says.

Tenten's body throbs at the distance between them. Her throat swells with emotion. "Me either," she manages to say.

They are quiet for another moment before Tenten clears her throat to ask, "You're leaving for China soon, right? I saw that you had to go to promote the movie."

"In a few days, but I won't be there long. I have to do an interview the night I get back."

"I'll be sure to watch," she promises.

"Tenten?" Neji says after another pause. "The invitation to come over—it's an open one. Anytime you want."

"I think that will make things harder, don't you, Neji?" She hears him exhale. Tenten leans her head against the car window.

"You're right," he says, clearly disappointed. "I should let you go. Enjoy your date with Inuzuka." He hangs up without waiting for a reply.

* * *

True to her word, several days later, Tenten settles onto her couch, chugging a bottled water as she waits for Neji's introduction onscreen.

"Please give a warm welcome to Neji Hyuga," says the host, standing to his feet.

Neji emerges in a dark suit, his publicity smile in place. Tenten clutches a pillow to her chest, her heart beating fast.

Neji and the host bow to each other and shake hands, then sit, facing each other. "Neji, thank you so much for agreeing to come on our show this evening. We heard you recently wrapped filming for your new movie!"

"Yes, it will release in the winter of this year. It's a film we hope that everyone will enjoy."

The host expresses his excitement; the audience claps. After the applause falters, the host begins his list of questions about the new movie, working with Sakura, and _High School Crisis_.

As Neji's segment draws to a close, the host leans forward confidentially and says, "One thing that has been dominating much of the media's attention lately are the rumors swirling around your previous relationship with your costar, Tenten. Everyone knows you value your privacy, but is there anything you care to address?"

The mood shifts—the audience is quiet, holding their breath. Tenten watches as Neji's expression shifts ever so slightly. In a detached tone, Neji replies, "To be honest, there are many things I wish I could address candidly, but as you put it, my privacy is very important to me. . . However, I will say this—the media only sees what we want them to see, and the assumptions that people have been making about she and I are nothing close to the truth."

Neji's eyes flick once to stare hard into the camera before returning to the host, a small smile resting on his mouth.

Tenten groans, stuffing her face into the pillow. She reaches for her phone and sends Neji a text: **You didn't do yourself any favors with that answer. Is Iruka losing his mind?**

It takes Neji a full fifteen minutes to respond. _He's yelling at me as we speak._

**That was stupid, Neji.**

_I said what I wanted to say. That's all that matters to me._

* * *

_ **NEJI HYUGA ADDRESSES DATING RUMORS—WHAT IS THE TRUTH?** _

_ **SPECULATION SWIRLS AFTER NEJI HYUGA INTERVIEW** _

"_**. . . he has to be talking abt people saying he cheated, right? do u think they had open relationship?"**_

* * *

In August, Tenten gets the call that she has been selected to make a presentation at the national television awards ceremony at the end of the month. Shizune quickly informs her that she and Neji will be presenting together; they were selected to award best on-screen romance. Tenten doubts anyone will miss the irony, since she and Neji weren't nominated for _HSC_.

Tenten is at her dress fitting when Neji calls her again. "Hi," she says, her cheeks warming.

"Hi. I'm assuming Shizune told you about the awards show?"

"Yes. . . Funny, right?"

"Very."

Tenten sighs, tugging on her bangs.

"Who are you taking to the awards?" Neji asks.

"Well, I figured I'd take Kiba," Tenten trails off, looking down at the deep blue velvet dress she's planning to wear.

Neji clears his throat. He says, sounding strained, "Good decision. That's . . . that's what everyone will expect. He's the natural choice."

"Who are you taking?"

"My cousin. Hinata."

Tenten mulls this over for a moment. "How is this going to go? Everyone will be watching us."

"We'll say hello, present the award, and that will be it. No cause for alarm."

"Right." She hesitates then says, "What are the odds we'll have to do this again?"

"Attend the same awards show?"

Tenten hums an assent.

"Very slim. I'm boycotting as soon as I announce my retirement."

Tenten smiles to herself. "That's a shame. I was planning on taking you as my date for next year."

"I'd like that." He pauses. "I wish I was going with you."

"Don't let anyone hear you say that."

Neji snorts; Tenten imagines him rolling his eyes. After a quiet moment, Neji says he has to go. They hang up, and Tenten leaves the privacy of the dressing room to return to being pinned and poked into place.

* * *

The national television awards sneak up on her. August passes in the blink of an eye, and before Tenten can catch her breath, she is in a car with Kiba Inuzuka, being whisked to the venue.

Tenten glances at her date, watching as he texts away on his phone. Their "relationship" worked in its own way—it wasn't based off romance or even compatibility. It functioned completely off the fact that both needed something from the other: for Tenten, a distraction from Neji, for Kiba, a way to gain more media attention.

As they pull up to the red carpet, Kiba moves to Tenten's side and grins. "Let's do this," he says, clearly excited.

Tenten pastes a smile onto her mouth and lets him pull her from the car. They pass through security and queue behind the other attendees. Their names are called out by photographers and interviewers as they wait their turn to walk the carpet.

Tenten adjusts her dress nervously, coolly glancing around to see if she can spot Neji. Kiba wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her close. He places a wolfish kiss on her cheek as cameras flash, catching every moment.

Shizune ushers them past the line of photographers to the media outlets for interviews. As Tenten talks to an online magazine, she hears Neji's name being called down the line. She moves her hands out of the camera's frame and grips her clutch tightly.

When Shizune moves her to the next interviewer, Tenten turns to her, a lump in her throat, and says, "Can we not do any more interviews, please? Neji's here and I don't want the scrutiny."

"He's doing photos right now," Shizune responds, guiding Tenten to a bubbly blonde from a print outlet. "Do one more interview, then we'll go inside."

Tenten steps forward and smiles at the interviewer, who immediately launches into her questions. Shizune makes her do three more interviews before finally letting she and Kiba enter the venue. They sit at their table, and Tenten exhales, thankful to be away from the prying eyes and flashing cameras.

As more stars make their way into the room, Tenten keeps a watchful eye on the door, waiting for Neji's entrance. Eventually, he makes his way into the room, his cousin on his arm. Tenten looks away, her heart beating fast.

It is not until the first television break that they make eye contact. Neji is talking with a well-known writer when he spots Tenten across the room. His eyes follow her to her seat, and then he is excusing himself from the conversation, making his way over to her.

He stops in front of her. He says, somewhat breathless, "You look amazing." His gaze dips to her dress, cheeks warming.

Tenten smiles. "So do you. I like your tie."

Neji casts a quick eye around them, features tense. "Where's your date?"

Tenten shrugs, glancing around the room. "Probably trying to see how many after-party invites he can get."

Neji's mouth breaks into a smile. "I wish him luck on that. Those aren't easy to come by."

"How many are you going to?" Tenten says, wondering if she'll have the chance to see him later.

"None. I'd rather not subject myself to more cameras than necessary." He pauses for a moment. "I would introduce you to my cousin, but I don't think Shizune and Iruka would approve."

Tenten brushes back her bangs, hiding her disappointment. An announcer calls for everyone to return to their seats.

"See you soon," Neji says, turning to go back to his seat.

Tenten sits down again, glancing at her phone when it buzzes a moment later. Neji's text reads: _You're doing me no favors in that dress. Inuzuka should know better than to leave you alone._

Tenten responds, **Let's behave ourselves, Neji.**

There is a lull as they give their attention to the next presentation, but not five minutes pass before Tenten's phone is buzzing again with Neji's reply. _I don't think I can do that. Not tonight._

Tenten tries to think of a response, but a second later, Neji sends another message, changing the subject, _I'm not having a good night, all around. All anyone would ask me on the carpet was to clarify that stupid interview from earlier this month._

**What did you say?**

_Nothing. Iruka kept pulling me away from the interviews, saying I was needed inside. I wish he would have just let me answer for once._

**I'm sure he was doing what he thought was best, for your image.**

_There'll be no salvaging it after I announce my retirement. I'd rather get it all in the open._

A stage assistant appears at Tenten's elbow and tells her it's almost time for her presentation onstage. Tenten follows him backstage, and stands in the wings, watching the bustle around her. Neji arrives next to her a few moments later, holding the winner's envelope.

"I'm sorry about how your night is going," Tenten murmurs, keeping her eyes on the stage.

Neji shifts, his arm brushing hers. He sighs, "I shouldn't have expected any different."

Tenten glances at him, tensing at the butterflies in her stomach. Neji gazes back at her. "Nervous?" he asks, studying her carefully.

Tenten smiles weakly, not having the resolve to tell him the real reason for her nerves. "It's only pretending, right?"

"Always," Neji whispers back. Briefly, his fingers brush the small of her back. Tenten's skin ripples with a shiver.

They receive their cue and walk onstage, smiling pleasantly. When they reach the podium, Neji begins, "Many people will say that finding natural chemistry in a costar is hard to find."

Tenten chimes in, "But this list of nominees for best on-screen romance in television check all the boxes. We are happy to announce the winners for this category."

Neji cracks the seal on the envelope, and together, he and Tenten read out the winner. There is applause and they watch as the winning couple makes their way up to the stage. Neji grasps Tenten's elbow, and they fade into the background, slipping into the wings as the winners give a flustered and gracious speech.

"Come on," Neji whispers into her ear, leading her deeper backstage.

Tenten glances around, but most of the stagehands are occupied. A few meet her eyes but look away seconds later with disinterest.

Ahead of her, Neji turns into an empty hallway and opens the first door he comes across. Inside is a variety of broken audio and lighting equipment. He grasps her hand and pulls her in after him.

The outside world falls away. They press into each other, lips meeting insistently. Tenten touches Neji's tie, relishing the silkiness of the fabric. His hands squeeze her waist, guiding her back against the wall. They easily lose themselves, lips brushing over skin, hands winding into hair. Tenten feels a flush creep over her body as Neji's lips ghost over her collarbone. His hands shake as they glide up her arms, coming to rest on her neck. His tremors make Tenten quiver with pleasure.

After a moment, they part, breathing fast. In the dimness, they regard each other in weighty silence. Neji reaches up to trace her dress's sweetheart neckline. "Neji," Tenten says in warning.

"Come home with me."

Tenten grimaces, letting her head fall to rest on his chest. "You know I can't."

"I'll have Lee sneak you in. No one will know."

"Someone will," she replies in frustration. "Besides, I have to go to an after-party with Kiba. They're expecting me."

Neji sighs, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I hate this," he murmurs.

Tenten says nothing; the mental clock in her head ticks away, counting the seconds they have until their combined absence is noticed. She leans back, still clutching his tie. Neji gazes at her sadly, his hand coming up to caress her cheek. "We should go back," she says faintly.

Absently, Neji nods. His lips brush hers once more, and then he's opening the door, letting harsh light flood into the small space.

She checks his appearance, her thumb wiping away a smudge of lipstick at the corner of his mouth. Neji smooths down her hair. "You should freshen up before you go back out," he advises softly.

Tenten nods, self-consciously touching her mouth. With a lingering glance, Neji steps away and walks back up the hallway. Tenten takes a few deep breaths, swallowing back her rising emotions, before finding her way to the lobby bathroom. She reapplies her lipstick, and emerges onto the floor, once again composed.

* * *

On their way to the after-party, while Kiba is chattering away on a phone call, Lee turns to her. "How did it go? With Neji?" he asks in a low voice, raising his bushy eyebrows.

Tenten grimaces. "As good as can be expected," she mutters back.

"Don't worry, Tenten. I've seen you two together—it's meant to be."

Tenten smiles wanly. "I wish that was enough for everyone else."

Lee shrugs. "Does it have to be? Can't it be enough for you?"

Tenten stares at him, pursing her lips. "You know what the press has been like, Lee."

"But that's why you hired me, right?"

Slowly, Tenten nods and turns away.

* * *

_ **BREAKING: NEJI HYUGA RUMORED TO BE RETIRING FOLLOWING HSC SEASON** _

_ **SOURCES SAY FILM & TV IDOL, NEJI HYUGA, WILL RETIRE** _

"_**. . . 'It's not unexpected,' says someone close to the actor. 'He's really done with the media attention.'"**_

* * *

Neji texts her the news the day before they are set to return to finish filming season three of _High School Crisis_.

_I'm announcing my retirement today—I'm assuming you saw that the news leaked._

Tenten is in a meeting with Shizune when she receives the message. Before she can reply, the notifications of media headlines begin appearing. Tenten scrolls through the building list, getting to her feet. "I'll be right back," she tells Shizune distractedly, heading out into the hallway.

Neji picks up on the first ring.

"Are you okay?" Tenten asks.

"_I'm_ fine. Japan doesn't seem to be handling it well."

Tenten snorts, entering the floor's stairwell. She leans against the wall, pressing her phone closer to her ear.

"They won't forgive me for this, I think," Neji continues, sounding pleased with himself.

"Besides the leak, I guess it's exactly what you wanted." Tenten pauses. "What did your uncle say?"

"We haven't spoken since I moved out. I think he wants me to feel his displeasure."

Tenten taps a finger against her phone, thinking. "He must not know you very well."

There is a smile in his voice when he says, "Well, he has nothing on you."

A smirk pulls at Tenten's mouth, a blush dusting her cheeks. Their kiss from the awards show resurfaces to the forefront of her mind.

They pass a moment in silence before Neji says, "Since all of my secrets are coming out today, I think I have one more I'd like to share."

"And what would that be?"

"I fully intend to marry you one day."

Tenten's mouth falls open in surprise. Neji waits a moment, then says, his tone light, "Just in the interest of full disclosure. No pressure."

Tenten says nothing, struggling to process the flood of emotions rushing through her.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he says, then hangs up.

Tenten looks down at her phone, utterly bewildered. As she begins to walk back to Shizune's office, a glowing smile rises to rest on her mouth.

* * *

When they receive their scripts the next morning on set, it quickly becomes apparent that Neji's retirement announcement has affected the writing. Tenten glances over the few pages of scenes involving she and Neji, her eyes growing wide.

He catches her eye from across the set and smiles. When he approaches her a moment later, he says, "This is bound to be their best season yet."

"Kazuki is going to be relegated to a hospital bed for the rest of the season, assuming they don't just kill you off," Tenten says, shaking her head. "That's nothing to be happy about."

"He'll be fine," Neji replies, shrugging. "Looks like you'll be doing the emotional heavy lifting in this relationship. Again."

Tenten playfully swats him with her script, pushing away the grin upturning her lips. Neji leans closer and says, "Did you see page six?"

Tenten had a habit of reading scripts from the end, too curious to put off gratification. She skims the page and blushes, glancing up at Neji.

"Why don't we go rehearse?" Neji says, tilting his head at her.

Tenten silently gets to her feet and follows Neji to his dressing room. He closes the door behind her and tosses his script onto his chair, gazing at her seriously.

Tenten consults her script and reads, "Kazuki, you lied to me. You've been lying to me all this time. What did you think I would do?"

"There's so much more to this than you understand, Yori."

"Then help me understand."

Neji considers her, his eyes flickering to her lips. He hesitates on his line delivery and Tenten waits. When he reaches out to touch her chin, she whispers, "Stay focused, Neji."

Neji shakes his head and rests his fingers on her neck. He bends down to kiss her but pauses at a loud knock on his dressing room door. A voice says on the other side, "Neji, you're up for blocking!"

Tenten raises an eyebrow at Neji and he pulls back with a frown. Without another word, they walk back to stage and take their places on set. As they hold for the director to say action, they glance at their scripts, reviewing their lines.

"Action!" the director eventually calls out.

Tenten swallows and stares at Neji from his place on the couch, rearranging her face to fit Yori's consternation. "Why did you do that, Kazuki?! You could have gotten arrested!"

"They wouldn't have arrested me—because I'm one of them," Neji delivers, getting to his feet to walk over to her.

Yori crosses her arms, face flushed. "Kazuki, you lied to me. You've been lying to me all this time. What did you think I would do?"

"There's so much more to this than you understand, Yori."

"Then help me understand."

Kazuki reaches out, brushing her hair behind her ear. "I'm doing this for us. This is the only way to make things right."

Yori frowns up at him, eyes searching. "You're going to get yourself killed," she mutters, stepping into his embrace. Kazuki's arms surround her.

He waits a beat, then says, "Yori, if I don't come back tonight—"

Yori shushes him and stands on her tiptoes to kiss him. Kazuki clutches her to him, tipping her head back. His tongue slides past her lips, and faintly, Tenten feels Neji lift her up. She wraps her legs around his waist, and their kiss deepens, their breath growing short.

Their intensity grows, and it is another long moment before the director calls out a cut. Neji pulls back reluctantly and swallows, carefully setting Tenten on her feet.

"That didn't feel like Kazuki and Yori," Tenten whispers to him.

Neji shrugs, not meeting her eyes. "Maybe it wasn't. Not all of it, anyway."

"We're professionals, right?" Tenten asks him, absentmindedly rubbing her lower lip.

Neji smirks, but his eyes are troubled. "Of course."

* * *

Over the next few weeks of filming, Tenten delivers one emotional performance after another. While Kazuki recovers from his gunshot wound in the hospital, Yori stays by his side, encouraging him to get better and having tearful bedside monologues while he is "sleeping".

It is emotionally taxing for Tenten. Every night she leaves set exhausted, wanting nothing more than to fall into bed. When they aren't rehearsing or shooting, Neji is holed up in his dressing room, studying for exams or working on his master's program application.

It is during one of his study sessions that Tenten wanders in, having just finished a scene with some of their other costars. Neji is sitting in a chair, staring into space, seemingly lost in thought. Tenten picks up the paper he's working on but instantly sets it back down, immediately overwhelmed by the formulas.

Neji meets her eyes and says softly, "When will it be enough? For us to be ourselves in public?"

Tenten frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I want to know when I can stop pretending."

Tenten's heart thuds in her chest, caught off guard by his question. She swallows then says, "Neji, we've discussed this before."

"I don't like that answer."

Tenten purses her lips, staring at him. He holds her gaze for a long moment then says, "I don't care about the media and the things that they say, or the rumors they start. But what I do care about is you pretending to date Inuzuka."

Tenten flinches, recalling the weekly lunches and events she'd been attending out in the city with Kiba, per Shizune.

Neji continues, "I want to be able to see you offset and not have to worry about whether it'll have serious repercussions to your career. I want to live with you and take walks with you and eat dinner with you. And I'm quickly reaching my limit where I'm okay with not having those things for the sake of media attention."

"Neji. . ."

He regards her seriously, reaching out to take her hand. "What do you want?"

"Everything you just said," Tenten says, sniffling. "But I don't want to have to keep defending how I feel about you to the whole world. It's exhausting."

"After the movie premieres, that'll be it for me—no more obligations or filming or interviews. I fully intend to become a hermit, as far as anyone's concerned. But you'll still be in the spotlight."

"You're saying this is my decision—if we're together publicly or not," Tenten says.

Neji gives her a tired look. "It's always been your decision, Tenten."

Tenten flinches from how much this comment stings. Wordlessly, she sits down, pressing her face into the crook of his shoulder.

"I know you're unhappy as I am with this arrangement," Neji says after a few minutes, resting his hand on the back of her neck.

"Of course, it makes me unhappy," Tenten says. "But I'm constantly trying to figure out if what I feel for you is worth all of the scrutiny and mean comments that will come with it."

Neji sighs, encircling an arm around her waist.

"I want to be taken seriously as an actress," Tenten goes on, "and I know some people will only ever look at me and see everything I do as a publicity stunt. We've had different experiences with the media—everyone loves you—"

"That's not true," Neji interjects.

"Well, _most _people do," Tenten maintains. "But all I've received from this is scorn—they don't think of me as a real person with feelings."

"That's part of what this life is, Tenten."

"I know," she whispers. "I'm just having a hard time adjusting."

Neji rubs her back, leaning his head against hers. "Give it time," he says finally. "The longer you work as an actress, the more eyes will be on you. I think you should give yourself space to be happy and do what you want. People will talk either way." He grasps her chin and lifts her head to meet her eyes. "But I'd rather they talk about how we're together than anything else."

Tenten stares back, feeling tears bud in her eyes. Neji reaches up to brush them away. With a heavy sigh, she says, "Do you remember what you said all those months ago? About boundaries?"

Neji nods.

"I've come to the realization I'm not very good at them." Tenten leans forward, kissing him lightly. "Do you think you could help me with that?"

A slow, small smile appears on Neji's mouth. "Yes."

* * *

The first thing Tenten does is call Shizune to end the "relationship" with Kiba. When Shizune inevitably asks for a reason, Tenten replies, unapologetic, "My real boyfriend is tired of sharing."

What follows with her publicist is a lengthy conversation over what will be tolerated in the future when dealing with the media. Though Shizune is resistant at first, Tenten is firm in her wishes. In anticipation for the next few months of changes, she requests that a second bodyguard be hired.

The next course of action involves removing all media presence from her phone. As Tenten deletes the last app, she feels a weight lift off her chest. She breathes a sigh of relief, feeling free.

She and Neji are wise enough to delay their emergence into public until the remainder of season three airs. The show takes a filming break the third week of September to begin airing on network television; Neji and Tenten, committed to their plan, spend the week apart.

On the phone one night during their separation, Neji says, "Your ex-boyfriend was out with someone new last night."

"Who told you that?"

"The Internet."

Tenten rolls her eyes, glancing at Lee, who is snoring at the end of her couch; the kung-fu movie they had been watching is long over. "Good for him," Tenten says simply.

* * *

The reception for the return of _High School Crisis_ begins well. Not only is Neji praised for his portrayal of Kazuki, Tenten begins to stir up accolades for her range of emotional acting.

When the show returns to film the finale after the break, Tenten is pleased to receive the compliments of cast and crew alike.

"This is different," she mutters to Neji one evening as they leave set. Lee and her new bodyguard, an older gentleman named Maito Gai, wait for her by an idling car. "Do you think the writers are making a case to get me to stay?"

"Have you decided yet if you want to end your contract?"

"No."

Neji shrugs. "I think they're recognizing your skill. It took them long enough."

Tenten smiles at this, grateful for the compliment.

* * *

The morning of shooting her final scene, Tenten is waiting in hair and makeup when she finally receives her script. Per her custom, she flips to the last page and stares at it, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. She calls out to the assistant who delivered it, "Hey, why is this all blacked out?"

The assistant shrugs, on his way out of the room. He says over his shoulder, "That's straight from the writer's room. They just finished writing it."

Tenten feels an unease in her gut as she glances back at the page, her curiosity stoked by the large blocks of black on the page. At the bottom of the page is a single word: "No."

When she meets Neji on set, she asks, "So, what do you think? Will Kazuki and Yori live happily ever after?"

Neji's mouth pulls to the side in thought. "I hope the best for them," he replies cryptically.

Tenten's eyes narrow. "Does that mean you know something I don't?"

Neji shakes his head. She opens her mouth to inquire further, but a crew member shuffles them into place onstage. Tenten stares at Neji, taking a deep breath.

"Ready?" he asks.

Tenten nods. The director calls for quiet, and then says, "Action."

Kazuki takes a few hesitant steps towards her, struggling with his new cane. A pained smile graces his mouth. Yori rushes forward to help him, but Kazuki waves her off, face contorted with effort.

He says, drawing closer to her, "These past few months of recovery have been the worst of my life. Every day has been a punishment, thinking about everything I've done wrong and how much it's cost me." Kazuki takes a heavy breath, staring into Yori's eyes. "Yori, I've spent my whole life wanting the kind of love that I feel when I'm with you. No one understands me like you do. My entire recovery has made me rethink a lot of things, but you're the only constant bright spot in my life. You're my light in the darkness."

Kazuki casts aside his cane and shakily falls to his knees. He swallows, paling, then says, "Marry me, Yori."

Tenten is still, emotion rushing to her eyes. Her chest aches at the loss—for Kazuki and Yori, who would never get to the place she wanted them to be at, for the show, for the possibility of a normal relationship with Neji without media criticism. The last page of her script made perfect sense now, and it gave her incredible heartache to deliver it.

"No," Yori replies, her face contorted with anguish, tears spilling down her cheeks.

The camera pans to Kazuki, a mixture of shock, resentment, and sadness playing across his features. The pure, unadulterated hope and love that had been there a moment before had vanished. Tenten senses the held breath in the room, the weight of this moment of television, and then the director is calling cut.

The spell is broken. Neji gets to his feet, watching her carefully. A flurry of their costars and production assistants walk over to congratulate them and express their surprise, tears in their eyes. Cast and crew mingle, discussing the end of the season, their plans for the evening, the next few months' schedule that they have lined up. The wrap party is announced, and the crowd slowly breaks apart, lingering, not ready to say goodbye.

Neji comes to stand next to her, his gaze unwavering. "That was the best acting I've ever seen you do."

Tenten releases a bitter smile, wiping at her eyes. "I'm going to quit," she tells him. "They wrote that for shock factor, not because it was the right decision for Yori."

Neji studies her for a moment. "You don't think she would have said no?"

Tenten shakes her head. "No, I think she would have still said no. But not for the reason they made it out to be—Yori wasn't scared of a life with Kazuki. She wanted him to see her as more than the safe choice."

Neji tilts his head towards her in consideration. "Would you have made the same choice?"

Tenten doesn't answer, watching the stagehands begin to deconstruct the set. She feels a strange mixture of relief and sorrow.

Neji says, gently, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was coming. The writers wanted a genuine reaction. They swore me to secrecy."

Tenten nods and turns to look up at him. "I'll see you at the wrap party, okay? I need a minute."

Neji lets her go, watching her walk down the hallway to her dressing room. When Tenten enters, she slowly moves to her dressing table and sits down. Mindlessly, she shoves her assortment of bottles and containers into her bag. She catches her reflection in the mirror and pauses, studying her flushed cheeks and clear eyes.

As she's getting ready to leave, there is a knock behind her. Tenten crosses the short distance to open it. Neji is there, leaning against the doorframe. She stares at him for a long moment, before reaching out to pull him inside. She melts into his arms, pressing her mouth to his. The door is closed, and Tenten leans against it. Neji holds her tight, his fingertips floating up her waist to her throat and into her hair. She sighs, and he tilts his head up, spreading light kisses across her nose, her cheekbones, her eyelids. He breathes deeply and sets his forehead against hers, his hands resting on her shoulders.

"I love you," he murmurs.

Tenten lifts her head and places a small kiss on Neji's mouth. She brushes back his hair, humming in contentment. "I know, Neji. I love you too," she whispers back. She smooths a hand over his chest and is gratified to feel his heart beating erratically.

He touches his lips to her forehead and draws back from her, kneeling at her feet. He kisses her hand and gazes up at her, tense. He holds up a simple gold ring. "Please," he says, his voice taut.

Tenten stiffens in shock. Her heart pounds in her chest, her eyes wide. "You're not serious," she breathes.

"I've never been more serious in my entire life." He sounds stronger now, looking expectant.

"Neji, the press will have a field day," Tenten says, pressing a hand to her chest to calm her heart.

"Do I look like someone who cares about what the press thinks?" He grasps her hand, staring up at her beseechingly. "This is serious, and I want it to always be that way."

Throughout their relationship, Tenten had felt the heavy weight of the media's scrutiny and the public's expectations. Now, looking at Neji, it all slips from her shoulders. It's only him, holding her hand, his gaze steady.

"It's us," she murmurs to him.

Neji smirks. "It always has been, Tenten."

She leans down and kisses him, holding his face in her hands. "I still want an answer," Neji mutters against her lips.

Tenten plucks the ring from his hand and slips it onto her finger, tears gathering in her eyes as she admires it. "Who could say no to Neji Hyuga?" she says, wrapping her arms around him.

* * *

_ **SURPRISE HSC 3 ENDING SHOCKS ALL** _

_ **CHARACTERS YORI AND KAZUKI SPLIT IN SHOCKING SEASON FINALE** _

_ **TENTEN ANNOUNCES SEASON 3 OF HSC WILL BE HER LAST** _

"_**Neji Hyuga and Tenten spotted out at cozy, private restaurant—are they back together?"**_

_ **TENTEN AND NEJI RUMORED TO REKINDLE RELATIONSHIP FOLLOWING HSC 3** _

"_**. . . largely considered a sleeper for the majority of **_**High School Crisis**_**, Tenten has emerged into the media spotlight with a renewed sense of respect for her work. . ."**_

_ **NEW SPY FILM WILL FEATURE SAKURA AND TENTEN** _

* * *

"Are these real freckles or is it makeup?" Neji asks, staring down at the magazine picture.

Tenten scoffs from their bathroom. "They're real!" she calls out, indignant.

Neji shifts the magazine to bring it closer, analyzing her face on the glossy paper. Gai and Lee glance over his shoulder, curious.

"They seem . . . exaggerated," he says, glancing at Lee and Gai's reactions. Both shake their heads, glancing at the open bathroom door.

Tenten emerges putting on earrings, eyes narrowed. "They're summer freckles."

"It's winter," Neji replies, reluctantly pulling his gaze from her dress to her eyes.

"Don't be rude," Tenten says, returning to the bathroom. "It's my first cover."

After the season finale, the television show had made landmark ratings—ranking high on all the social media sites as fans discussed the ending. Tenten's name surfaced again and again. Most fans disliked the ending, that was certain, but Tenten's delivery was received well. Many speculated she would be nominated for best breakthrough actress for the next awards season.

Following a handful of interviews, Tenten began receiving calls for auditions. She'd jumped at the chance and was slated to begin filming with Sakura Haruno after the new year for a spy thriller; Lee was particularly elated over this turn of events.

Tonight is Neji's movie premiere, and officially, his last event in the public eye. He glances at Gai and Lee, who are arm wrestling on the kitchen counter, and gets up to join Tenten. He stops in the doorway, watching as she fixes her lipstick.

"Are you ready to say goodbye to stardom?" she asks him.

"For as long as I'm associated with you, I don't think I'll ever really be done."

She turns to him, absently sliding the gold ring up and down her finger. "Do you wish it could be different?"

Neji shakes his head. "I'm starting my master's in the spring, and I'm with you. Any way I look at it, I'm getting what I want."

Tenten smiles, and glances at the ring. "What about this? Ready to let everyone know our big secret?"

"No. But we might as well."

Tenten smirks, and slips her hand into his, pulling him towards their front door. Lee and Gai follow, grinning. Unlike all the other times she'd gone out in public since filming ended, this time, Tenten keeps the ring on—exactly where it belongs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you have thoughts, I'd love to hear them.


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